Fire-alarm box



' Feb. 24, 1931.

J. L. DE MESQUITA FIRE ALARM BOX Filed Aug. 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l wa %my 3 w M WW m A x M M w 4 V. Z 7 w n m; m M e v nmwn a? W .K Y. 3 g\G \MK y a,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 k w m/ 3 I N V EN TOR Jacques Z. fieA/esgw/a 1 TTORNEY.

J. L. DE MESQUITA FIRE ALARM BOX ,Filed Aug. 29, 1929 Feb. 24, 1931;

l-Patente JACQUES L. Di: OF CITY, NEW JERSEY Application filed August29, Serial No. 888,125.

his invention relates to re alarm systems and more particularly to c .mboxes such as are placed at predetermined signalling stations and fromwhich persons may send in alarms oi" fire. it is not uncommon,particularly in the large cities, for boys, michievous persons orpersons of detective mentality to signal false alarms and a carefulcheck-up has shown that a large percentage of the alarms received atfire headquarters are. of this nature. When the false alarm is sent inthe person signals the central station thus giving the alarm andimmediately leaves the vicinity from which the alarm was given so thatit is extremely diiiicult to apprehend such persons who not infrequentlyremain at large through long. periods and cause innumerable false alarmswith incident expense to the fire department and ti eir detention fromalarms which actually require urgent, attention. 1

Furthermore, it is not uncommon for persons after givin a iidealarm toimmediately leave the point from which the alarm was given so thatconsiderable time is lost by lire apparatus seeking the exact locationof the fire when they reach the alarm be); from which the alarm wasgiven.

Experience has shown that, for the foregoing reasons and otherswhich arewell understood by persons familiar with fire department practice, it ishighly desira is that the person sending in an alarm remain at the pointfrom which the alarm was given until the apparatus arrives at thispoint. The primary object of this invention is to compulsorily restrainsuch persons at such point even though they desire to immediately leaveafter giving the alarm. By this means, persons giving false alarms maybe readily apprehended while persons turning in a bona lide alarm willbe in position to properly direct the apparatus to the scene of thefire.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, the present inventionconsis sin fire alarm box mechanism such as an appropriate call or sigal be withwhich is associated means in a portion of the person sending in an 1 anis grasped and retained in position, e., i eiiect, imprisoned againstleaving the box from which the alarm has been given until arr1val ofapparatus or some'other person such as police ofiicer having possessionvention consists in associating with such an apparatus restrainingmechanism so positioned that when the hand of theperson is placed incooperative relation with the handie of the signal transmittingapparatus, said hand or arm is in cooperative relation with therestraining mechanism, the latter normally be ng n retracted position soas to permit of ready access to the handle. The signal transmittingmechanism is, however, operatively connected to the restrainingmechanism so that when the hand draws down the handle to condition thealarm for operation, the restraining mechanism is actuated to grasp thewrist just back of the hand, as for example in a handcufi-like member,and to thus preclude withdrawal of the hand until the restrainingmechanism is released by someone authorized to do so. With such anarrangement the person giving the alarm will not be able to leave thebox after the alarm has been venbut will be found at this point upon thearrival of the fire apparatus. l

Features of the invention, other than those specified will be apparentfrom the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawingsillustrate one practical embodiment ot theinvention, but the construction therein shown is to be under- .imits ofthe invention. I Y igure 1 is a transverse section through apparatusembodying the present invention, this section being taken in the planeof the line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of These arms extend downwardlyans.

Figure 1, showing certain parts in elevation in the interest ofclearness. I

In the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings, 1 designates ahousing in which is contained alarm transmitting apparatus of anyappropriate conventional form, the details of which are in'nnaterial faras the pres at invention is concerned other than tonote that suchmechanism is adapted to be actuated for the purpose of giving alarm bydownward pressure on the handle 2 which constitutes an element of theconventional. apparatus. This apparatus is contained within a suitablecasing or box 3 preferably Vprovided at front with hinged door l, thehinges being indicated 5. The door is adapted to be normally locked inclosed position by a suitable lock, not shown, and the keys "Io-ro tingthis lock are to be possessed by poice oiiicers nd firemen so that undernormal conditions, the bet; is locked closed against civilians. ()n theinterior of the door l: mounted partition 6 spaced from the door toprovide an intermediate chamber 7 in which a. greater portion of therestraining mechanism is housed. This restraining mechanism will now bedescribed.

, Pivotally mounted on the bracket 8 onthe partition 6 is a lever 9 oneend of which overlies the handle 2 and ca ries the finger 10 adapted tobear on the upper face of the-handle 2. To the other end of said leveris pivotally secured a bar 10 vertically slotted for a greater portionof its length as indicated at 11. Pivoted to the door 1 adjacent thelower end of the slotted bar 10 on the pivot 12 are two restraining jaws1d and 15;having integral operating arms 16 and 17 respectively.

l in a divergent relation toward the opposite sides of the box shown inFigure 1 and each arm carries an anchorage pin 18. Extending through theslot 11 of the bar 10 are two pivots 19 and 20. The upper pivot 19 formsthe elbow pivot of the toggle embodying links 21 and 22 the terminalends of which links are respectively pivotally secured to locking dogs23 and 24 respectively. These locking dogs are mounted on pivots 25supported by the door 4 and extend downwardly from these pivots wherebythey are adapted to cooperate with serrated edges 26 and 27 formed onthe restraining jaws 14: and 15. The toggle links 21 and 22 are securedto the dogs a. short distance below the pivots 25,

while the termini of another toggle embody ing links 28 and 29 arepivotally secured to said locking dogs in further down position. Thelower pivot 20 which. extends through the slot 11 forms the pivot at theelbow of the lower toggle. The pivots between the termini of the lowertoggle and the locking dogs are designated 30. A tension spring 31extends between the pivot 30 of the dog 23 and the anchorage pin 18 ofthe arm 17 and spring 32 similarly extends from the pivot 30 of the dog24: to the anchorage pin 18 of the operating arm 16. The parts are soarranged that the springs 31 and 32 will nor mally tend to force therestraining jaws 14: and 15 into thedot and dash line position shown inFigure 1.

The lowertoggle, when its links are on dead centers or in alignment,will, however, hold the dogs 23 and 2 1 apart at their lower ends andthus cause tension members 33 connected between these dogs and theoperating arms of the respective restraining jaws to hold said jaws inretracted position against the action of the said springs as indicatedin full lines in Figure 2. It is not until the piv- 0t 20 at the elbowof the lower toggle is lifted break the toggle that the links thereofleave their relation of aligmnent, release the dogs for movement towardone another and thus permit the springs 31 and 32 to act upon therestraining aws for the purpose of forcing them together into the dotand dash line position shown.

T he restraining jaws, when in their reracted normal position indicatedin full lines n Figure 1 are so shaped as to present he- "ween them asubstantially. circular opening 1 in the partition 6 and back-of thesejaws is formed a registering opening 35. The

door 4 is also provided with an aligned opening- 36 normally closed bysmall closure 3'? which may be hinged as shown at 38.

By reference to Figure 2 it will be noted that the pull rod 39.issecured to the lever 9 adjacent the finger 10 which bears on the handle2 and this pull rod hangs downwardly into the interior of the box to apoint back of the openings and 36. Thus, in order to send in an alarm,from apparatus such as designated, the person freely opens the smallclosure 37 which is left unlocked or with a key in the lock and isrequired to pass his hand through the opening 36, the opening 34 andopening 35 in order to grasp the pull rod 39, the depression of whichcauses the handle 2 to be forced downwardly and the alarm given. It willbe noted, however, that when the rod 39 is pulled down, the lever 9 istilted in a counter-clockwise direction thereby lifting the slotted bar10. Since the pivot 20 at the elbow of the lower toggle is normally atthe base of the slot 11, it will be apparent that this tilting of thelever will cause elevation of the elbow of the toggle so as to freerestraint of the operating arms by the tension members 33 and permit thesprings 31 and 32 to resiliently force the restraining jaws into theirclosed positions indicated in dot and dash lines, so that the arm of thehand which has sent in the alarm will be grasped by these restrainingjaws at the wrist. During this operation,.the lower ends of the dogswill follow the contour of the aws and slide over the serrated edges 26and 27 so as to preclude 1 any retrograde movement of, the jaws duringthis operation and to function as a locking means to preclude the personwho has given the alarm from forcing the jaws apart and withdrawing hishand. As the locking jaws come together as indicated in dot anddashlines in Figure 1 during the operation just described, the upper toggleelbow falls into the dot and dash line position indicated in this figureand it is also raised as shown toward the upper end of the slot 11.

After the parts have operated as stated, they will remain in thesepositions even hough the pull rod 39 is lifted and the hand which hascaused the alarm to be given will be retained and locked in position sothat it cannot be withdrawn. The person who has given the alarm willthus be caused to remain at the box until some authorized personreleases him. This is accomplished when a fireman or other authorizedperson in possession of the key to the door 4 unlocks the door and opensit to reveal the releasing mechanism shown in Figure 2. This mechanismconsists merely in a knob 40 secured to the pivot 19 which projectsthrough a slot ll in the partition 6 carrying said knob. When the door 4is opened, the knob may be readily grasped and pulled downwardly. Thisoperation causes the upper toggle to be straightened out to force thedogs 23 and 24 outwardly so that their lower ends arereleased from theserrated edges of the restraining jaws and tension simultaneouslyapplied to the tension members 33 to pull said jaws apart sufiicientlyto bring the links of the lower toggle into substantial alignmentwhereupon the apparatus is in re-set position ready for the next alarm.

The apparatus which I have described is infallible in its operation. Itwill effectively capture and hold the hand which gives the alarm andsince the grip of the restraining jaws is spring impelled, the operationis sufficiently resilient and yielding so as not to cause pain or injuryof the wrist held within the grasp of said jaws.

The structure is relatively simple, economito manufacture, and willeffectively solve e problems to which I have hereinbefore referred,arising out of false alarms and the fa lure of firemen to locate firesfor which particular alarms are given.

The spring 9 normally holds the lever 9 in the position shown in Fig. 2wherein the jaws are in open position and the parts ready for operation.

The foregoing detailed description deals 'ith the invention in itspreferred practical or n, but the invention is to be understood as ul ycommensurate with the appended la ms. I

Having thus fully described my invention, w iat I claim as new anddesire to secure by t ters Patent is 1. In. an assembly of the characterdescr 1bed,a casing providedrtherem with a manually operable element,said casing having an opening through which a persons sides of the jawpivot and adapted to coact with the serrated edges of the jaws, springsconnecting said operating arms to the dogs and tending to move thejawsinto closed position and also serving to maintain the dogs in engagementwith the said serrated edges, restraining members connecting theoperating'arms to the dogs to hold the jaws open whenthe dogs are forcedapart, asetting toggle the terminals of which are secured to the dogs tohold the jaws apart when the links of the-toggle are in substantialalinement, and operative connections between said manually operableelement and the elbow of said toggle to cause the toggleto be flexedwhen said element is operated, whereby the dogs are permitted to movetoward one another to allow the springs to close the jaws, said dogsfollowing said serrated edges to lock the jaws in closed position, incombination with a resetting toggle also connected across the dogs andadapted to be manually operated to force the dogs apart and therebyreturn the jaws to open position and the links of the setting toggletoalined relation.

- 2. In an assembly of the character described,a casingprovidedtherein'with a manuallyoperable element, said casing having anopening through which a persons hand must bepassed to operate saidelement, a pair of jaws mounted on a stationary pivot in cooperativerelation with the opening, said aws having serrated edges and beingprovided with operating arms, a pair of locking dogs mounted on fixedpivots on opposite sides of the jaw pivot and adapted to coact with theserrated edges of the jaws, springs connecting said operating arms tothe dogs and tending to move the jaws into closed positionandalsoserving to maintain the dogs in engagement with the said serrated edges,restraining members connecting. the operating arms to the dogs to holdthe jaws open when the dogs are forced apart, a setting toggle theterminals of which are secured to the dogs to holdthe jaws apart whenthe links of the toggle are in substantial alinement, and operativeconnections between said manually operable element and the elbow of saidtoggle to cause the toggle to be flexed when said element-is opi erated,whereby the dogs are permitted to move toward one another to allow thesprings to close the jaws, said'dogs following said serrated edges tolock the jaws in closed position.

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3. In an assembly of' the character 'described, a casing providedtherein with a manually operable element, said casing having an openingthrough which a persons hand the operating arms and tending to move thejaws into closed position, restraining members connecting the operatingarms to the dogs to hold the jaws open when the dogs are forced apart, asetting toggle the terminals of which are secured to the dogs to holdthe jaws apart when the links of the toggle are in substantialalinement, and operative connections between said manually operableelement and the elbow of said toggle to cause the toggle to be flexedwhen said element is operated, whereby the dogs are pern'iitted to movetoward one another to allow the springs to close the aws, said dogsfollowing said serrated edges to lock the jaws in closed position.

4. In an assembly of the character described, a casing provided thereinwith a manually operable element, said casing havhand must be passed tooperate said element, a pair of levers of the first class mounted on acommon stationary pivot and the work arms of which are shaped to formjaws cooperating with said opening, a pair of locking dogs mounted onfixed pivots on opposite sides of the jaw pivot and adapted to coactwith the v jaws to lock them in closed positions, means acting upon thelevers and tending to move the jaws thereof into closed position, asetting toggle, restraining members operatively connecting the terminalsof the toggle to the power arms of said levers and adapted to hold thelevers with the jaws thereof in open position when the links of thetoggle are in V substantial alinement, and operative connections betweensaid manually operable element, and the elbow of said toggle to causethe toggle to be flexed when said element is operated whereby therestraining members are relaxed to permit the j aws to close, said dogsserving to lock the jaws in closed position until said dogs arereleased.

5. In an assembly of the character described, a casing provided thereinwith a manually operable element, said casing having an opening throughwhich a persons hand must be passed to operate said element, a pair oflevers of the first class mounted on ascommon stationary pivot and thework arms of which are shaped to form jaws cooperating with saidopening, a pair of locking dogs mounted on fixed pivots on oppositesides of the jaw pivot and adapted to coact with the jaws to mg anopening through which a persons lock them in closed positions, meansacting upon the levers and tending to move the jaws thereof into closedposition, a setting toggle, restraining members operatively connectingthe terminals of the toggle to the power arms of said levers and'adaptedto hold the levers with'the jaws thereof in open position when the linksof the toggle are in substantial alinement, and operative connectionsbetween said manually operable element and the elbow of said toggle tocause the toggle to be flexed when said element is operated whereby therestrainin members are relaxed to permit the jaws to close, said dogsserving to lock the jaws in closed position until said dogs arereleased, incombination with manually operablemeans for resetting thelevers to a position wherein the jaws thereof are in opened condition.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

JACQUES L. DE MESQU'ITA.

